Liverpool Struggle’s Continue as They Slip Down the EPL Table

Liverpool struggle’s continue as they slip down the EPL table in what has been a surprisingly bad season for the Reds. They are already out of contention for the Premiere League title, currently trailing by 21 points from first place Arsenal. To dissect into the team to find out where their struggles are coming from is difficult, hence the fact that there were few player changes and with Jurgen Klopp still running the ship in Liverpool.  

The Reds only have one win this month, none coming from the Premiere League. Their only win came against the Wolves in FA Cup play. Seems like Liverpool struggle’s are coming from the Premiere League. They have only one goal scored and conceded six in their last three league games. Overall, they have just one win with two losses and two draws in the last five matches.  

Looking at the players, they are not having the seasons they had prior. Mohammad Salah had one of the best seasons of his career, totaling 23 Premiere League goals and eight Champions League goals. This time last season his goal count was already at 23. Now, he only has 14 with a four-game scoreless drought. Injuries are not the cause of his decline as he has started in 25 out of the 24 matches thus far.  

Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk has been under criticism for his form this season, being blamed for their defensive errors. He has left defenders open and has made sloppy mistakes. Van Dijk is now currently sidelined with a hamstrung injury, which makes Liverpool’s defensive struggles even worse. 

The player receiving the most criticism is the Uruguayan Darwin Nunez. He has not been performing well for Liverpool, missing easy shots in front of the net that ends up costing the team in the end. Now with the new signing of Cody Gakpo, Nunez will see time on the bench after not producing how Liverpool have wanted him to.  

With all of Liverpool struggle’s does this mean that Jurgen Klopp’s job is in jeopardy? In eight years, Klopp has won one Premiere League title, one FA Cup, one EFL Cup, one Community Shield title, one Champions League title and a Super Cup title. It does not seem like Klopp is to blame for the struggles, rather it’s the players’ mentality.  

Spanish defender Thiago has admitted that failing to win the quadruple and the run from last season has had a huge psychological effect on the team, affecting their performance and form this season.  

“For sure [last season’s finish affected us]. It’s not just about physical stuff. It’s also something psychological. We were so close to winning everything. We just touched it but it went away” he said to ESPN. 

Despite Liverpool struggle’s, they still have a chance for a trophy this year. They are still in the FA Cup, where they will face Brighton tomorrow, who recently beat them 3-0 in the league earlier in the month. They also still have the Champions League Round of 16, with a finals rematch against Real Madrid on Feb 21.